Save money on funerals: Be buried at sea

Sailors conduct burial at sea

Carol Forsloff---While the cost of everything is going up, so is the cost of death.  The average cost, according to experts, for the basic funeral and burial in the United States is approximately $9000.  Some people have insurance, but many do not.  One option for saving money on funerals is to be buried at sea.

The costs of a funeral are broken down like this, as observed by one expert in the funeral business:

• fee for the funeral director’s services: $1,500

• cost for a casket: $2,300

• embalming: $500

• cost for using the funeral home for the actual funeral service: $500

• cost of a grave site: $1,000

• cost to dig the grave: $600

• cost of a grave liner or outer burial container: $1,000

• cost of a headstone: $1,500

These costs can be more or less depending upon the area of the country.  In Hawaii, for example, the costs are somewhat greater because land is scarce, while in the South the costs may be less, depending on the quality of the burial container and casket, which are two items that are often pricey for most people.

Burial at sea can be elaborate or simple, and most people choose the latter.  Certain expenses can be similar to ordinary funerals.  For example, those who charge a fee for officiating is one constant.  However, many of the other costs are not necessary because of the nature of the burial itself.

For the military, burial at sea is a long tradition and one that takes place often with great ceremony.  The following is a listing of the various aspects of the ceremony that is part of naval tradition.  Some of this type of recognition ceremony can be used for civilian funerals, but for the most part those with military background who choose burial at sea will have closer to a traditional military burial than a civilian one.

The committal service is as follows:

• Station firing squad, casket bearers and bugler.

• Officer's call. Pass the word "All hands bury the dead" (the ships should be stopped, if practicable, and colors displayed at half-mast.

• Assembly.

• Adjutant's call (Call to Attention).

• Bring the massed formation to Parade Rest.

• Burial service.Fire three volleys (Attention, Hand Salute).

  • The Scripture (Parade Rest).
  
  
  • The prayers (Parade Rest, heads bowed).
  
  
  • The Committal (Attention, Hand Salute).
  
  
  • The Benediction (Parade Rest, heads bowed).



• 
  Taps. Close up colors. Resume course and speed at the last note of Taps (Hand Salute)

• Encasing of the flag (Attention).

• Retreat (Resume normal duties).

For civilians there are certain requirements to be buried at sea.  And people choose this method of burial all over the world.  The ceremony may involve a burial casket, an urn of ashes, a sailcloth shroud or simply the scattering of the cremated remains from a ship.  The ashes are mixed with concrete to make an artificial reef.

Some religions embrace burial at sea while others are not favorable to this method of treating the dead.  Catholics and Muslims, for example, prefer burial on land.  For a Catholic, if a person is cremated, they prefer the ashes to be buried on land.  Muslims prefer to be buried deep underground so scavengers can't reach the body.  A Muslim may be buried at sea if there is no other way to dispose of the body or if there are concerns that an enemy will savage the body.  Various Protestant groups allow burial at sea, and the Anglican Church specifies a particular ritual to be used.

Burials at sea are advertised for as little as $150.  And you don't have to be there, as that price includes a photographs of the ceremony or a video and a certificate commemorating the event.  For a party of 6 either aboard a boat or on shore watching the ceremonies, the fee is $399.  There are various charter boats for the services and a number of departure cities as well.  Another company out of New England offers burials at sea also from various ports and advertises a complete, respectful ceremony with all the trimmings, and a phone number to reserve a spot on a yacht for some deceased relative or friend, together with a group and all the trimmings.

So burial at sea is for you, then you don't have to travel far to secure an arrangement, either on the East or West Coast.  You will save money, have a nice river or ocean ride, and when you look at those waters, it is anticipated you will remember the person who is buried there as well.